Reflector type signal for switch stands



Nov. 2, 1937. G. GORT 2,097,552

REFLECTOR TYPE SI GNAL FOR SWITCH STANDS Filed Nov. 27, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 $4 f 6* Rx 3 4 @m izzg Nqv. 2, 1937. s. GORT REFLECTOR TYPE SIGNAL FOR SWITCH STANDS 2 Sheets-Sht 2 Filed NOV. 27, 1955 a a \N Patented Nov. 2, 1937 REFLECTOR me SIGNAL FOR. swrron STANDS Y Godfrey Gort, Chicago IlL, assignor to Western Railroad Supply Company, Chicago, 111., a cor,- poration of Delaware Application November 27,1935,ser a1'm. 51,86?

5 Claims.

This invention relates to reflector type switch stand signals, particularly adapted to be mounted on conventional rotatable switch stands and to be rotated with said stands to display one of a (cross-7s) f brackets lB arelocated between thetop flange l3 and faces of the housing walls 18 and are secured to said flange l3 by the rivets M which also connect the grille l5--l6 my said flange of ture, that the housing walls l carrying replurality of colored signals for the guidance of the top l2.

the engineer of an approaching locomotive. Each of the walls I 0 is provided with an open- Structures of the character described are deing i9, preferably circularpclosed by a' rcfiector signed to be used in place of prior'art oil and el-ecdevice 20 of the Corning type. Such reflector tric lamps provided with lenses of different colors, devices are available on the market and comprise l0 heretofore adjustably mounted on switch stands a light diffusing lens 21 mounted inthe flanged 10.

and adapted to be rotated therewith to display ring 22 of aninternally reflector-surfaced back one of a plurality of said lenses. plate 23. The reflector device 20 is mounted on The main object of this invention is to provide 7 the innersurface of the wall Hi, and retained at a reflector type signal, simple and durable in the top' by the removable L-clip24 engaging the 5 construction, easily assembled, in which the rewall Ill and the shoulder formed by the ring '15 flector elements are mounted in a housing by efflange 22 and backplate 23, held. in place by the ificient and economical means, and are protected bolt,25 and'wing nut 26 (Fig.2) At the bottom, against breakage. 7 :the reflector device 20- is retained by a spring Other advantages will be disclosed in the folmetal bracket 27 secured to thehousing wall l0 7 lowing specification. r by rivets 28. The reflector part 22 has an in In the drawings: dentation' 22' engaged by a projection on the Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a reflector type sigbracket 21 (Fig. 3) which prevents rotation of the nal for switch stands embodying my invention. reflector device 23. f i

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same. The bottom 1 l of the housing is reinforced by 5 Fig. 3 is a detailed view of a part of the means a ring 29 having screw threaded bosses 30 which for mounting a reflector unit in the signal housregister with holes in the bottom I I, for the reing. vception'of screw-threaded bolts 3| fixedly held Fig. 4 is a horizontal s-ectio-nalview taken on the r in said bosses 30. A coupling for mounting the line 44 of Fig. '1 looking downwardly as indisignal on 'a conventional switch stand comprises cated by the arrows. a hollow stem 32, set screw 33, top plate 34 and Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of my invention. radial flange 35. The flange 35 is provided with In that embodiment of the invention shown in curved slots 36 through which the projecting ends the drawings, the reflector type signal comprises of the bolts 3| extend. The curved slots 36 pen a housing having a plurality of side walls ill, mit the coupling flange 35 to be secured to the 35 preferably integral with each other and with end housing in adjusted position by means of the 35 members I! which form the bottom of the houstheft-proof nuts3'l. The hollow stem 32 may be; a ing. The top l2 closes the top of the housing made to fit any switch stand onwhich the signal and extends beyond the side walls I!) as shown in is to be mounted. A rod 38 having a screw thread- Fig. 2. The means for assembling these parts will ed end 39 is screwed into the center of the cou -f v 40 be described hereinafter. The outer edges of the plingplate 34 to extend upwardly above the upper 40 top l2 are flanged as indicated at l3. A grille, edges of the housing walls 10. Near the upper} preferably integrally formed of metal, is secured end of the rod 38 is fixed afnut 40.- The top l2 7 i to the flanged top by rivets l4, and extends downrests on the nut 40 and upper edges of thehousing wardly to the plane of the bottom I l of the hous- Walls I0, andis held in place by a theft-p-roofnut ing, the metal being bent to provide walls l5 4| on the upper end-of'the rod 38. equal in number to the side walls ll] of the hous- The reflector unit 20 is readily slipped into ing. The grille walls [5 are wider than the housposition between the spring bracket 21 and wall ing walls Ill and are spaced from said walls. That It), and then the L-clip 24 and wing nut 26 are part of each grille wall l5 which is opposite the placed on the bolt 25 to retain the parts in face of a housing wall I0 is so constructed that position. 50 the said wall it! is visible through the grille work, From the foregoing description it will be unand the part I6 at each side of said wall 15 is derstood that in the preferred embodiment of preferably imperforate, for a purpose hereinafter my invention the top l2 and grille |5'|6 are explained. The side edges of the grille are conconnected together and form a unitary strucnected. together at H. Reinforcing and spacing flector units 20, and bottom II with ring 29 and bolts 3| mounted therein form another unit, and that these units and the coupling 3235 may be easily assembled by fastening the nuts 3'! on bolts 3| to adjustably connect the housing and coupling, and by fastening the nut 4| on the rod 38 to rigidly connect the top with its protecting grille in position on the housing.

An advantage of the construction described is the ease of assembling the parts and the fact that the interior of the signal is readily accessible by the removal of the single nut 4| which permits the top 12 and connected grille to be lifted from the top of the housing.

It will be understood that the lens 2| of one reflector unit 28 will usually be of a color indi-' cating that the track is clear, and the lens or lenses at right angles thereto (assuming the housing is a four sided one) will be of a different color to indicate danger. The imperforate parts I6 of the grille walls l5 function as ray confiners so that rays which may be reflected from one reflector unit are not visible to oneobserving another reflector unit. The grille Walls protect the reflector units against breakage Without interfering with the efliciency of the reflector units for their intended purposes.

Changes may be made in details of construction without departing from the scope of my invention and I do not intend to be limited to the exact form shown and described, except as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:-

1. A reflector type signal comprising a plurality of side walls forming an open-top housing, each side wall having a reflector mounted therein, a top wall removably seated on the upper edge of said housing and extending beyond the side walls thereof, a grille connected to the edges of the top wall and suspended therefrom in spaced relation to said side walls and reflectors, whereby said top wall and grille'may be removed as a unit for gaining access to said reflectors.

2. A reflector type signal comprising a plurality of side walls forming an open-top housing, each side wall having a reflector mounted therein, a top wall removably'seated on .the 7 upper edge of said housing and extending beyond the side walls thereof, a grille connected to the edges of the top wall and suspended therefrom in spaced relation to said side walls and reflectors, said grille comprising an integral piece of metal having grille-like portions located opposite said reflectors and imperforate sections located at each corner between said grille-like portions.

3. A reflector type signal comprising a plurality of side walls forming an open-top housing, each side wall having a reflector mounted therein, a top wall removably seated on the upper edge of said housing and extending beyond the side walls thereof, said top wall having wall portions connected together at right angles depending from the edges of the top wall to enclose said housing in laterally spaced relation thereto, a section of each of said wall portions opposite a reflector being perforated to form a protecting grille therefor.

4. A reflector type signal comprising a plurality of side walls forming an open-top housing, each side wall having a reflector mounted therein, a top wall removably seated on the upper edge of said housing and extending beyond the side walls thereof, said top wall having wall portions connected together at right angles depending from the edges of the top Wall to enclose said housing in laterally spaced relation thereto, a section of each of said wall portions opposite a reflector being perforated to form a protecting grille therefor, said protecting grille having imperforate corner sections between said perforated sections.

5. A reflector type signal comprising a plurality of side walls forming an-open-top housing, each side Wall having a reflector mounted therein, a top wall removably seated on the upper edge of said housing and extending beyond the side walls thereof, a grille connected to the edges of the top wall and suspended therefrom in spaced relation to said side walls and reflectors, said housing having a bottom wall, a ring resting on said bottom wall 'within the housing, a coupling having a flange supporting the housing, said flange having spaced slots therein, bolts passing through said ring, bottom wall and slots for mounting the housing on said coupling.

. GODFREY GORT. 

